Shoar beats Lightsey

With his wife Laura at this side, St. Augustine police chief David Shoar talks to supporters after winning the republican primary for St. Johns County sheriff on Tuesday, September 31, 2004.

By PETER WILLOTT, Staff After hugs and handshakes from supporters and family, David Shoar puffed a cigar to celebrate his landslide victory over Glenn Lightsey as the Republican nominee vying to become the next sheriff of St. Johns County.

Fireworks exploded in the sky after the victory was announced.

"It's a good validation for what I've done in my career," Shoar said at his Primary Election party Tuesday evening, attended by a couple of hundred people from area law enforcement agencies and other supporters.

"I'd just like to thank the voters of St. Johns County for their vote of confidence," Shoar said.

Shoar will now face write-in candidate Ronald Stafford in November. For Stafford to win in the General Election, more than 50 percent of voters will have to pencil his name onto the ballot.

Lightsey, 49, was a sergeant in the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office in the early 1990s who went on to become an investigator at the State Attorney's Office.

Shoar, 42, is the current Chief of Police in St. Augustine with degrees in criminal justice and public administration, as well as a 20-year-career in the Florida National Guard.

The position of sheriff is a four-year term that pays a salary of $114,000.

Stafford, 53, joined the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office in 1971 as a road deputy. He rose in rank to become a detective, then went to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement in 1982 as a special agent.

At the Lightsey camp a few miles down the road on State Road 16 from the Shoar party, Lightsey addressed the crowd of about 50 supporters gathered to await election results Tuesday. There was music playing at the Shoar camp throughout the evening. Lightsey's supporters spoke in a hush as the results trickled in.

"I didn't run against one person. I ran against two people," Lightsey said after the final votes were counted, hinting at the endorsement and campaigning for Shoar by current Sheriff Neil Perry. "There should have been Perry/Shoar on that ballot."

Lightsey added, "I'm not bitter against my opponent. He's a good guy."

Earlier in the evening, when the first precincts had been counted in Shoar's favor, Lightsey said if Shoar wins, "We hope him all of the world and the best."

Lightsey said he and Shoar were friends at the beginning of the campaign and they would remain friends.

click photo to enlarge

Glenn Lightsey hugs his daughter Cheyenne Lightsey, moments after finding out he lost to David Shoar in the Republican Primary for St. Johns County Sheriff, at his home on State Road 16 Tuesday evening. "Glenn Lightsey was not for sale at the beginning of this, and he is not for sale now," said Lightsey.

By JUSTIN YURKANIN, Staff

Shoar concurred. "Glenn is a tenacious campaigner. I enjoyed meeting him on the campaign trail and I wish him all the best," he said.

Perry was one of the first to pat Shoar on the back as precinct after precinct counted votes in Shoar's favor.

"David Shoar is the right choice for St. Johns County in the future," Perry said. "He's an ethically and morally sound family man and I'm impressed with his thoughtfulness and ability."

Voters at St. Augustine Beach leaned heavily in favor of Shoar. Only one out of 10 people interviewed by The St. Augustine Record in the final hours at the polls cast a vote for Lightsey.

"I was kind of torn about it," said Sharon McCabe, 46, of St. Augustine Beach. "Shoar's been backed by the Sheriff (Perry), who's been in forever. It felt like the good ol' boy system."

McCabe also said she has not seen more advertising by a candidate than she has with Shoar. She said the Shoar for Sheriff signs around town seemed too much. "It made me wonder," she said.

Other voters disagreed. "Shoar has a better background in law enforcement," said Charlie Peterson, 57, of St. Augustine Beach.

John Iwanick, 74, of Crescent Beach said Shoar was the candidate with the credentials and experience to lead a department like the Sheriff's Office. "That's all you need," he said.

Lu Murray of St. Augustine Beach said she knows Shoar's father and family and felt he was the better man for the job. "He seems to have a lot of integrity," she said. "I don't think he'll be lacking in anything."

In the morning and early afternoon, Shoar and Lightsey supporters waved signs at different corners of S.R. 312 and U.S. 1.

St. Johns County Sheriff's Sgt. Chris Parker used his vacation day sweating under a blazing sun as he waved a sign that read, "This deputy supports David Shoar."

He said the response from motorists driving by was positive. People smiled, honked horns and reached out their windows to give him the thumbs up. "We have a lot of good friends out here, which is great to see."

Parker said he came out to give some final name recognition for the candidate he felt should win the office of sheriff. "The opponent hasn't been active in law enforcement," he said of Lightsey. "He knows what the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office ran like 12 years ago."

Parker said technology and training changes fast in law enforcement. Shoar's experience and knowledge of these changes make him the best choice, he said.

"We don't have time for on the job training," Parker said, adding that the next sheriff should be able to "put his coffee cup on his desk and say, 'Let's go to work.' "

As he prepared to take a break from hours campaigning on the street, Parker said, "We're looking forward to a victorious celebration."

On the other side of the road, Ferrell Lightsey, Glenn's brother, waved a "Lightsey for Sheriff" sign. Wearing an Army T-shirt and camouflage pants, Ferrell said his brother is not for sale and is an honest man.

"He'll talk to you one on one as a human," Ferrell, 47, said. He said his older brother is a better candidate than Shoar. "He knows basically every inch of the St. Augustine area. And he don't quit."

Next to Ferrell was Boone Griffin, 42, who has known Lightsey for 21 years. He said Lightsey has not taken any special interest money in the campaign. Instead, he has talked to his constituents with true concern over the issues they want resolved. "That's who he's here to protect," Griffin said.

Speculating on Lightsey losing the primary, Griffin said, "He'll go back to Christmas trees and the things he does."